The watch industry is continuously seeking to improve the durability of watch bands. Originally, watch bands were formed from leather or fabric. While these materials were relatively flexible and comfortable, bands made from these materials were not very durable. Exposure to water and continuous wear, for example, will quickly degrade leather and fabric watch bands. To address these deficiencies, some watch makers have created watch bands out of metal links. While metal link watch bands are more resilient than leather and fabric watch bands, they are relatively heavy and expensive.
Recently, inexpensive and rugged watches have become popular, particularly for various sporting activities such as running, boating, diving, and climbing. In order to keep the cost of these watches low while still providing an environmentally-resistant band, some watch makers have begun using watch bands formed from plastic or rubber. These bands conventionally will have an attachment portion on each end that defines some type of a springbar passage for receiving a springbar. As known in the art, a springbar has a hollow cylinder containing two pins at either end. The pins are forced outward by a spring within the cylinder. The watch, in turn, will have two extensions or “lugs” that extend from each side of the watch (i.e., the watch will have a pair of opposing lugs on either side). Usually, these lugs are integrally formed with the watch casing. Also, each lug defines a pin recess facing a corresponding pin recess on the opposite lug.
To attach the band to a watch, a springbar is inserted into the springbar passage of an attachment portion at one end of the band, and the pins are pressed into the hollow cylinder. With the pins thus compressed, the attachment portion of the band is inserted between two opposing lugs of a watch casing. When the attachment portion is positioned so that the springbar is aligned between the lug recesses, the spring in the springbar forces the pins into the lug recesses to secure the attachment portion between the lugs. This process is then repeated with the attachment portion on the other end of the watch band and the remaining pair of opposing lugs.
While this configuration allows a watch band to be quickly replaced, the entire strength of the attachment is based upon the springbar. If enough force is placed on the band or watch to bend the springbar or to compress even one of the pins in the springbar, then the band will come away from the watch. Because conventional springbars are very thin (typically not more than a few millimeters in diameter), this type of separation is not an uncommon occurrence. Also, in many instances, the material of the band forming the springbar passage can rip or tear, causing the springbar to separate from the band. Still further, if the lugs are made of a material that is not durable, such as brittle plastic, then the lugs can fail causing the band to separate from the watch. Accordingly, watch makers are continuously seeking improved techniques and structures to attach a watch band to a watch.